Govt to expedite work on 32 road projects along border with China

Amidst the continuing standoff between the Indian Army and China's PLA, the Centre on Monday reviewed ongoing road projects along the Sino-indian border, and decided to expedite work on 32 of them, officials said.

The decision was taken at a highlevel meeting convened by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), and attended by the Central Public Works Department (CPWD), Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and the IndoTibetan Border Police (ITBP) among others. “Works will be expedited on 32 road projects along the border with China and all concerned agencies will extend cooperation to fast-track the projects,” an official privy to the meeting told PTI. A total of 73 roads are being constructed along the SinoIndian border. Of these, the CPWD is working on 12 and the BRO on 61, under the direct supervision of the MHA, which is the nodal authority for all border infrastructure-related projects.

The move comes amidst the ongoing row between the Indian Army and China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) in Ladakh sector.

Twenty Indian Army personnel were killed in a clash with the PLA in the night of June 15-16 in the Galwan Valley in Ladakh. At least three vital roads are being constructed by the BRO in Ladakh, another official said.

Apart from the roads, priority will also be given to projects related to development of other border infrastructure like power, health, telecom and education.

According to the MHA officials, there has been a surge in works related to roads along the Sino-indian order in recent years.

The formation-cutting works were completed for 470 km roads along the border in 2017-20, in comparison to just 230 km in 2008-17, the officials said.

Surface-clearing has been done for 380 km of roads in 2017-20, in comparison to just 170 km in 2008-17, they added.